'Congress lost Lok Sabha polls in UP due to Narendra Modi campaign blitzkrieg'

Congress lost Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh due to the Narendra Modi campaign blitzkrieg coupled with its failure to counter the propaganda on alleged scams and scandals in the UPA-II, the AK Antony committee was told today.

The committee, going into the rout of the party in the polls, also saw weak organisation, poor strategy and failure to connect with the masses as reasons for the collapse of Congress in the state which sends 80 members to Lok Sabha. Only party chief Sonia Gandhi and Vice-President Rahul Gandhi could get elected in the polls, which saw waterloo of many a party veteran, including all Union ministers from the state.

AICC officer bearers putting forth the reasons for the party's debacle maintained that the central leadership could not be held responsible for the defeat of Union ministers some of whom finished fourth. Some state leaders told the committee that there was no short-cut for hard work and strengthening the organisation in the state to become relevant nationally.

PCC chief Nirmal Khatri, CLP leader Pradipt Mathur and various state leaders appeared before the committee which is expected to complete its task before the Budget session of Parliament starting on July 7.
The Congress high command has already dissolved the UP Congress Committee as also the district party units as part of plans to revive the organisation.

BJP and its allies have secured as many as 73 of the 80 seats by making deep inroads in the politically important state. This has led to total wipe-out of BSP in Lok Sabha and decimation of Mulayam Singh Yadav's Samajwadi Party.